JERUSALEM DAY
and the
YEAR OF JUBILEE
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May they prosper who love you.
Peace be within your walls,
Prosperity within your palaces.”
For the sake of my brethren and companions,
I will now say, “Peace be within you.”
Because of the house of the Lord our God
I will seek your good.
“May they prosper who love you.
Peace be within your walls,
Prosperity within your palaces.”
For the sake of my brethren and companions,
I will now say, “Peace be within you.”
Because of the house of the Lord our God
I will seek your good.
Psalm 122: 6-9
Jerusalem Day 2016 begins this evening and marks the completion of 49 years since the reunification of Jerusalem and the beginning of the 50th year, the Year of Jubilee.
Under the UN Partition Plan of 1947 the land of Israel was to be partitioned between the Jews and the Arabs and, Jerusalem and Bethlehem were to be international cities.
 |
| The Partition Plan By Zero0000A/RES/181(II) - m0103_1b.gif on PLAN OF PARTITION is from UNGA Resolution 181 (27 Nov 1947). Overdrawn UNSCOP boundary is from United Nations Special Committee on Palestine, Report to the General Assembly, 3 Sep 1947, Volume II, A/364, Add. 1., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27649381 |
On 14 May 1948 Israel was declared an independent state according to the plan but the following day Israel was attacked by a confederation of Arab states. The 10 month war resulted in victory for Israel in that it not only kept its allotted territory but it also captured around 50% of the land allotted to the Arabs. Jordan (then Transjordan) occupied the West Bank and the eastern part of Jerusalem, dividing the city, and Egypt occupied the Gaza Strip. Its interesting that those who cry out against Israel's occupation of these areas have little to say about this earlier occupation of land that was supposed to be under the rule of the local Arab population.
Jordan remained in control of East Jerusalem, including the Old City and the Temple Mount until the Six Day War in 1967. Jerusalem was divided by a barbed wire barrier and minefields during this time and Jews were not permitted to pray at the Western Wall nor go up onto the Temple Mount.
In 1967 Israel launched a preemptive strike against Egypt and the five neighboring Arab states and their allies, which were planning a massive invasion of Israel. This brief war resulted in a decisive victory for Israel and it captured all of the West Bank from Jordan, the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt and the Golan Heights from Syria.
 |
| After the Six Day War |
The capture of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount occurred on the 7 June 1967, bringing Jerusalem under Jewish control for the first time since the Roman conquest 2000 years earlier. Listen to the historic radio announcement of the capture of the Old City and the Western Wall - its in Hebrew but the translation is given on the site. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/1967lib.html
Commander Motta Gur speaking to his brigade upon their capture of the Old City and the Temple Mount, said this:
“For some two thousand years the Temple Mount was forbidden to the Jews. Until you came — you, the paratroopers — and returned it to the bosom of the nation. The Western Wall, for which every heart beats, is ours once again. Many Jews have taken their lives into their hands throughout our long history, in order to reach Jerusalem and live here. Endless words of longing have expressed the deep yearning for Jerusalem that beats within the Jewish heart..You have been given the great privilege of completing the circle, of returning to the nation its capital and its holy center...Jerusalem is yours forever.”
This is the speech made by General Shlomo Goren , the IDF Chief Rabbi, to the victorious Israeli soldiers:
“I am speaking to you from the plaza of the Western Wall, the remnant of our Holy Temple. ‘Comfort my people, comfort them, says the Lord your God.’ This is the day we have hoped for, let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation. The vision of all generations is being realized before our eyes: The city of God, the site of the Temple, the Temple Mount and the Western Wall, the symbol of the nation’s redemption, have been redeemed today by you, heroes of the Israel Defense Forces. By doing so you have fulfilled the oath of generations, ‘If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its cunning.’ Indeed, we have not forgotten you, Jerusalem, our holy city, our glory. In the name of the entire Jewish people in Israel and the Diaspora, I hereby recite with supreme joy, Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has kept us in life, who has preserved us, and enabled us to reach this day. This year in Jerusalem – rebuilt! “
–General Shlomo Goren, Chaplain of the Israeli Defense Forces, at the Western Wall
–General Shlomo Goren, Chaplain of the Israeli Defense Forces, at the Western Wall
Within weeks the barriers and minefields were removed and Jews, Moslem Arabs and Christians could freely visit the Temple Mount and pray at their holy sites. Israel pledged to preserve the religious freedom for all faiths in Jerusalem. The then Minister of Defense, Moshe Dayan, made this statement:
http://www.sixdaywar.org/content/ReunificationJerusalem.aspTo our Arab neighbors we extend, especially at this hour, the hand of peace. To members of the other religions, Christians and Muslims, I hereby promise faithfully that their full freedom and all their religious rights will be preserved. We did not come to Jerusalem to conquer the Holy Places of others.
 |
| Soldiers dancing after the capture of the Western Wall |
 |
| The shofar is blown |
 |
| Soldiers praying and kissing the Wall after its capture http://images1.ynet.co.il/PicServer4/2015/06/03/6089607/608957812922390183103no.jpg |
 |
| http://media.cmgdigital.com/shared/lt/lt_cache/thumbnail/960/img/photos/2014/01/09/ef/c2/paratroopers.jpg |
 |
| Jerusalem Day on the Western Wall Plaza with the restored Jewish Quarter of the Old City in the background http://bokertov.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451bc4a69e20168eba13a93970c-800wi |
 |
| http://israelstreet.org/?p=11057 |
How precious it is to live in this place. Sometimes I find myself taking it for granted in the midst of the busy round of life. However to be able to walk freely in this beautiful city and to pray at its holy sites is a great privilege. How many songs, great works of art and prayers of longing have been poured out for this city - the city God chose for his holy dwelling place. What does it mean that we are now entering the Year of Jubilee for this rebuilt, thriving restored Jerusalem? I do not know but I think it must have great significance in the holy realm.
I am reminded of the lament of Yeshua (Jesus), that touched my heart and brought me here so many years ago.
“O Jerusalem, O Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! Behold, your house is forsaken and desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord'.
Matthew 23:37
Yeshua knew as he cried these words, with such pain and longing in his heart, that soon he would die and then Jerusalem would be destroyed and her people exiled. Now 2000 years later the remnant of the exiles are being physically gathered from the nations and Jerusalem is once more in Jewish hands. Perhaps this year of Jubilee will signal a new moving of the Spirit heralding the spiritual restoration of Israel? There are signs of this beginning to happen (see my previous post). Please pray for the spiritual restoration of the people of Israel. Yeshua said he will not return to Jerusalem until the people say " Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord".
THE KING IS COMING !!
 |
| http://www.restoringisrael.org/files/Yeshua_Returns_to_Destroy_Armies.jpg |
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4809642,00.html
No comments:
New comments are not allowed.